Bangla Bandh - Day 2 & Sarkar Raj

Day 2 of the Oil increase drama was the same as Day 1. Train Service disrupted, No Buses, No Taxis, Flights were delayed but they took off (unlike Day 1).

At the end nothing happened. No one gained. Not a paisa was decreased from the price hike of the 3 products.

What was significant that unlike other bandhs that are called by the opposition party where in the state govt responds with additional State buses on the roads, today there was not a single state bus plying. Even taxi's stayed off the road. Auto's were the only mode taking passengers from one point to another.

And I manged to go to office after changing 2 auto's, waiting for an hour and then taking the metro which had very less passengers.

In the evening saw "Sarkar Raj" where we had to stand in the que for 40 minutes for the tickets, which I thought I was doing after 7-8 years. Dont remember ever standing in a que in a multiplex for tickets. The movie was Ok, worth watching once. I like the 1st one better.

A request - Friends reading this pls comment.

Happy Weekend.

Bangla Bandh

After pondering for around 2 years as to whats blogging here I am with my 1st blog on a day when in the whole country only Kolkata/West Bengal is observing a "Bangla Bandh" for hike in petrol, diesel & LPG prices that were announced yesterday.

Over the last 16 years during my stay in the City of Joy I have seen many such bandhs but still wonder (and am sure, I am not the only one) whats the use of calling a bandh? Like for todays instance - Will the Govt roll back the price hike just because Bengal is observing a 12 hour bandh, just because all flights to & from Kolkata have been cancelled, just because long distance trains have been stopped outside the Bengal border in some small station with not enough amenities like food, water & toilets.

Here bandh's are called on the whimsiest of reasons, and who benefits or whats the outcome? After being in power for more than 3 decades the party in power still is having to use strong arm tactics to ensure that the bandh is enforced in totality. What a shame!!! Even salaried employees lose a days leave which could have been used in some other occasions.

And that's not all. Tomorrow the opposition party in the state has again called for a "Bangla Bandh" for the same Price Hike. Couldn't the 2 political parties for the betterment of the state held a meeting and spared a lot of people by this knee jerk reaction by not calling bandhs on 2 full working days. Club it with a Saturday when most govt offices are off and u have the weekend starting from Thursday. Such lavishness can only happen in West Bangal. I haven't seen it anywhere else in the country. No wonder the weekend getaways like the beaches of Digha, Shankarpur & Mandarmoni must be running to packed hotels and lots of tourists on this extended weekend.

I am in the meanwhile spending some quality time with my kids today since the summer vacations are on. And since it has been drizzling since morning no better time to have some "Khichuri" with "Ilish Bhaja" & "Papad".

Also am trying to figure out how do I reach office tomorrow.